We're still talking turkey on Anna Maria

The economy may be going cold but Anna Maria Island, Florida, is still as hot as ever for Thanksgiving – and we’re not just talking about the weather. With fewer travelers expected this year by most traditional US vacation destinations as the effects of the economic downturn hit home, it seems many families are finding it hard to break the habit of a Thanksgiving stay on their favourite vacation island.
Director of island rental company Anna Maria Vacations, Bob Perryman, says that occupancy rates for Thanksgiving are as high as ever – it seems there are some things we just won't give up for the holiday.
"We haven't noticed anything like a drop-off in people wanting to stay over Thanksgiving compared with previous years," said Perryman. "If anything we're busier this year than in the past. The people who are contacting us are those who return to Anna Maria year after year and they seem determined not to give up their family traditions, despite the worrying signs of the economy."
Anna Maria Island, with its seven miles of continuous beach and famous sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico, has long been an open secret among US and international travelers. But being popular should not make businesses on the island complacent, and Perryman admits they will all have to work hard to ensure a vacation on Anna Maria remains affordable amid the prevailing economic gloom.
Many of those return visitors have taken advantage of some of the special web-only rates on http://www.annamaria.com a concession Perryman believes is vital in meeting halfway those customers worried about finances but in need of a vacation.
"We can't just sit back and expect the people to arrive like they always have, just because they always have," says Perryman. "Any downturn in the economy is going to affect us all, so we have to make sure that when people think about returning to Anna Maria, or maybe coming here for the first time, that they continue to see it as the best option. There is a lot of competition out there, but anyone who has ever been here knows there is nowhere quite like Anna Maria Island."
To take advantage of some of the special web-only rates and last-minute seasonal special offers visit http://www.annamaria.com